About 45 pipe bands from New Zealand and Australia were to compete in the 2011 New Zealand and South Pacific Pipe Band Championships in Timaru this weekend, but because of the magnitude 6.3 quake last week, the Royal New Zealand Pipe Bands' Association has decided to cancel the annual competition.
Of the 45 bands who planned to compete, five were from Otago: City of Dunedin, City of Dunedin Scotia, John McGlashan College, Balclutha, Waitaki District Schools, and Queenstown and Southern Lakes Highland pipe bands.
Association president Iain Blakeley said because bands were ready to compete, many would perform in their home towns instead of Timaru, to raise funds for Christchurch earthquake victims.
The Queenstown and Southern Lakes Highland Pipe Band has performed in Queenstown several times since the quake and has raised more than $1100 for the Canterbury Earthquake Appeal.
The band will be performing again on Sunday at 1pm in the Arrowtown village green.
Mr Blakeley said it had become clear that to proceed with the contest in Timaru could affect others outside the pipe-band community, he said.
"Pipe bands' [members] would take up beds more needed by Christchurch families who have been displaced by the earthquake.
"We would feel uneasy if a family had nowhere to stay in Timaru or had to drive further away to find accommodation, just so we could have a jolly weekend."
• Green Island-based company Harraways has sent the equivalent of 30,000 meals to Christchurch since the earthquake.
Chief executive Stuart Hammer said the company had been sending samples of the product to be distributed to residents, and bulk porridge products to the welfare centres.
• A truck loaded with non-perishable goods donated by friends, families and suppliers connected to Ellisons Aluminium will head to Rangiora tomorrow.
Ellisons general manager Nicholas Cooke said the company had contacted the Rangiora Earthquake Express, which has been flying in supplies by helicopter to the hardest-hit suburbs in Christchurch. It would distribute the goods.
The Pitcairn Scout Group supplied 10 large bags full of non-perishable foodstuffs, toothpaste, nappies, buckets and toilet paper given by the 26 families involved in the scouts, cubs and keas, cub leader Christina McConnell, whose son worked for Ellisons, said.
• A marathon 24-hour hair-cutting session at Deane's Hair Studio in the Civic Centre raised $1588 for the earthquake appeal, and it is hoped to top that total in a 12-hour session beginning at 5pm today.
Deane Borley said it was hoped to create a "late-night coffee lounge" feel with music and coffee on hand.
• Alibi bar in the Octagon will charge a 10% surcharge on drinks today and match that 10%, all proceeds going to the Red Cross appeal. Other bars in the Octagon have donation jars available for customers or are giving their tip money.
• A University of Otago film educating people about the perils of the disease hydatids will be screened for possibly the first time in 70 years at The Great Healthy Film Show on Sunday, and the gold-coin entry fee will go to the earthquake appeal.
It is one of 12 short films in the programme which has been organised by the department of preventive and social medicine as part of its celebration of 125 years of public health teaching and research.
The films will be shown at the St David Lecture theatre at the University of Otago at 2.30pm.
• Rock Jam's busking outside the Gardens New World last weekend along with other musicians including those playing Chilean music, keyboards and violin raised more than $750 for the Salvation Army Canterbury Earthquake Appeal, spokeswoman Sarah Rennie said.
• Oamaru Movie World 3 is hoping to raise up to $3000 for the Red Cross earthquake appeal with a filmic fundraiser on Sunday.
Movie tickets will be $5, all proceeds going to Red Cross.
The movies are Tangled at 1.15pm, Gulliver's Travels at 3.30pm, Wild Target at 5.30pm and Little Fockers at 7.30pm.
